Misc. Comments

This previously unpublished three movement 'lesson' is from a manuscript now found in the Gerald Coke Handel Collection, Foundling Museum. The prelude is by William Babell (though possibly inspired by Handel's similar harpsichord lesson in Bb) while the other two movements are arrangements from operas first performed at the Haymarket theatre. The pastichio Ernalinda (text by F. Silvani) was performed at the Haymarket on 26 February 1713. John James Hiedegger put together the pastichio after models by F. Gasparini and G.M. Orlandi. The music is by Gasparini with additional arias by Orlandini, G. Bononcini and F. Mancini. The opera Arminius, with music attributed to P.A. Ziani and arranged by either N.F. Haym or J.J. Heidegger, was first performed on 4 March 1714 at the Queen's Theatre, London.